Compressor-motor assembly



S p 1952 L. K. WARRICKI ET AL 2,612,311

COMPRESSOR-MOTOR ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 26, 1949 I fnuenl o rs" I v Leland K war-rick 6 Fran/a E atented Sept. 30, 19%

NITED "STATES. P T-Em} 'E. La Flame, Twin Lake, Mich., assignors= to' p 1 Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago; 1 11., a corr poration of Illinois npnlicationc aryzs,194s, sai s, 72 5 lOlaim. (o1.zs0- -1a9. w

' jThisinventionflrelates in general to refrigeratsystems of a ,typegenerally appllcabl'e'yfor employment for domestic and other, uses where individual units oi relatively small "capacity are employed and-has particular relation to an'improved arrangement of parts having special ap-- plication as a. refrigerant compressonf It is a general object and accomplishment of the'invention to provide an improved arrangement of elements forming a sealed housing compressor assembly having the minimum overall "axial dimension whilemaintaining a high 'efiiciency of operation' and eilectinga reduction in the cost of manufacturefover thatwof fsimilar units ofpresent-,1manufacture.v H (Anotherobject and accomplishment of the invention is to provide an improved refrigerating. system by co-rela'ting and especially designing the various elements of such'systems and where-' by there" shall be such cooperation between said improved j elements as" will best serve the purpose of providing an efiicient syste'm'cap'able'i'bf being manufactured at'fllo'w cost and -yet giving the maximumot satisfactory servicein use. 7 f

f A further" object andnaccomplishment or. the

invention is to provide an'improved unit designedi'orrefrig'eration purposewhich shall have aQii'oir'el and compact arrangement of parts wherein said parts jean be readily assembled and erviced; v I i it is 'a more detailed object ofthe invention to provide in a, motorflcompressor unitjof-the section takenas depietedjinl lig; l and above type an improved lubricating arrangement I for insuring the delivery of the necessarylubri-f. cant toeach of the vital movingparts;

"The, invention seeks, 'as a further, objectvand accomplishment. to provide a refrigerator compressor as contemplated herein and character-- ized by an arrangement of parts to more advan- 40' tag'eously andrsatisfactorily perform the function' required of it and adaptedlto provide ,a

compact unit,- which will successfully. combine the factors of structural simplicity an 'durability,

'yetbe economical to manufacture.

' A further object and accomplishment of the invention is to provide a new and improved form of sealed motor compressor unit vvhichlis"adaptsdv tol be economically manufactured, and which is sojdesigned as to permit the manufactureand assemblyv thereof, in accordance with 'presentfday largefscale mass production manufacturing methods of construction'and assembly.

Additional objects. features and advantages of theinvention disclosed he'rein will be apparentto persons skilled 'in the art after the construction I ns syst m employing the sealed 1 motor; c0 press'orv unitconternplated herein;" f"

" means or the compressor or p u inp iQ ZIII fully described and, more particularly point the co'mb'ination of parts; and the arran'g 'tion,

or; illustratingvor disclosing a typical, or

and operation are funder'stood' from-the wit scriptionl 4. I t is: e r d teaccombfish' h e i J c Of't e n s i na dtc c i j li in substantially the mannerv 'as hereinaf ter'mo e in the appended claim.

With these objects in'view, together with which will appear as the description pro eds, the invention resides in the novel construe and cooperative function of the parts theie I thereof as illustrated in the drawing-and vv i n will be more fully described hereinafter and'pa ticularly pointed outin the claim, Y {1 In the.acc'ompanyingdrawing on .which *t is shown preferred embodimentgof the Ei'g j'lds a sectional view of iag i'e l d compressor, unit embodying thef features p se t i v n o I 1 R al-2 is; a'. se t a an Vi Off p the motor Compressor unit" depicted in being takenon theiplane of the line 2 he" n l h s fis'ure' F g-13 dia ramm tically, illustrates a .ref rifs "Ifhe'jdrawing is to beunderstooda belrig'nioi'e. or less of a schematic character iorjt" e" purpose a P e d fQrin' oi thejimproveinents contemplatedherei R e'ieriiinggto the drawing, particularly Figflflj I there is il ustrated in sect-ion, asea ed motor; compressor unit uesignatedin its entirety by we letter, A] and including, a refrigerant compressor or pumpinuicatedgenerallyf'at2i]; l. v I the seaiedrnotor compressorv unitA -withwhich the present invention is particuiariy concernedmay advantageously-be mountedin the-lower;

vDe i o eauln t 1 s' ck renal or a refrigerator cabinetbecause .of tit-sire F small overall axial dimension; -lvioreovler sealed motor compressor: unit A may comprise a' part of v a relrigeratmg 's ystem fof theco'mpresso I condenser-expander type, suc'h as illust Fig. 3, and wherein reirigerantis cir'c ated condenser [2 l for extractingfor diss p from the lreirigerant m'ediuin and ihfihc v. freeaer. or evaporator 23 in which the 128mg ant q um i x and or apor zedi q r heatand the refrigerant medium is thereafter" returned to the compressor from whence the cycle is repeated.

Suffice it to say, since the invention is not particularly concerned with the precise construction of the complete refrigerating system and/ or its associated parts, they will not be further de- 1 scribed in detail and itisdeemed-sufficient for i all intentions and purposes herein contained to show only portions thereof adjacent to and cooperating with the sealed motor compressor unit contemplated herein. It is to beunderstood that details of construction of such refrigerating sys--- tems and their associated partsmay be; modified to suit particular conditions or to satisfy the-1 engineering genius of various;competitivemanuer.

, construction of these elements as set forth, ex-.

facturers and we do not wish to be limited to the cept where such construction par-ucuieny'ccn: cerns the invention contemplated'hereins a Having thus described, by way of example, a

possible adaptation of the sealed motor compressor unit, and having describedthegeneral 'en-' viromnent surrounding the adaptation, the sp cifi'c construction andlfunctions of the partser sealed inotor coinpressor unit contemplated herein and with v which the. present invention" is settlement concerned, will now be described in casl ffi'o'torl indicated generally at 24 is illustrated "as qeis t t, a

Qlnthe exemplary embodiment of the inventicnuepietea inFi'g. 1', the compressor is shown asejteii 'g' ncmsed within a gas tight housing or indicated'genrally' at-22 and an electric constructed integrally with the casing; 22

' and'fo'r operating'thecompresson The motor 24 preferably is of the alternating current type end'aaapted to be suppliedwi'th' electric energy 3 through suitable conduits '25 operatively connected to the motor windings indicated generally at 28f and. which are. arranged. internally of 'the JsingQZZL fCurrent may be supplied intermittently to the motor for operating the'same at tqthmetcr may beuhuer'tne control or a switch I Z'FwhioH is cperativ iy associated with the evaporater-er freezer, element- 23 of the refrigerating systemv so that the "compressor may be operated in such" a waves to "maintain the temperature tiiereefand ofthheat msuIate'a compartment within which sucfiievaperetor' may be" arra ged withinsardlpreaetermmea temperature limits. v finite constructionillustrated rang-s11 an 2 the?" compressor '20 is arranged within me "gas tight casing"22 "aria vapc'rcus' refrrg'erant from the evaporates-is *suppnee to the intake side or tlifecompressor'ZWthrOugh the su'ctio'n line '30'; 7 Therefrigerant' rs discharged from thewom pressoflointcthe interior of'the' casing'22 and:

the refrigerant is conducted from the casing-22 Hymeans'crcenduu 3 f-t'o the condenser 2 If The casing 22 functions as'--a--lubricant reservoir-and tli'e"-lubricant therein, which preferablystands 50 bearing plate portion. which is providedwitli; v central aperturefliarranged to" receive the end are provided withcojmplementary interfi i 4 body of lubricant will collect within the lower part of the casing '22 and to such an extent as to partiallysubmerge the compressor 20 therein. As the lubricant in the casing is subjected to the discharge pressure of the compressor and as the compressor is partially submerged in lubricant,

the working parts of the=cornpnesso ll be lubri- The motor 2 i includes a rotor and a stator 36 including the motor windings 26. The rotor 35 of the motor includes an elongated sleeve 40 whichis j'ou'rna-lled on an axle or horizontally extending shaft 31 and which sleeve 40 has fixed thereto aiieccentriE'eIement 38. The eccentric elemenisadapteclf to form a part of the compressorlll;andlthe sleeve 40 forms a direct driving connection between the motor and the com- 'llhe motor rotor 35 may be of conventional construction and comprise a stack of circular laminations 39 suitably sec i'red together by anye apwith'-"aplurality"of axially"eitenamgpassages (not showni sof'as, tojperiniti the 'freejpass'aige 'f therefrigerantiiiiediuinfrhmthe other. ."Itfi'stohe fiote'dtliafimotdr r i's' mounted; on'ithje free e'rm ogr said tart arse thatsaid shaft"provideslaicargtilevef'jsiifibfiiit.

said motor rotcr'andrsle eve ficfidldalll'? Wi'tfl' th present'inventior'i, th'elst'altor comprises a s aclE of annular'laminations' made o'f'ircn or anyjotlief Suitable metallic material; ,i The cutef'heriiiiherai surface of thestator]36is'se?ciiifeditoth asiii hen i qre rat en s t mwr e n cauy-se ec asiirgffo tirercc t' nq 'ablf fihe end=platefisfor ed as I "as; shown in-ordergto take advantagejofstruct al' strength; the frame member-4'5 ccmpr ijsfn a "45, on the interior thereof, is provided wit a;

to et -level indicated by-theime 32 in Fig. 1, is

subjected to-the discharge pressure thereof; As" the refrigerant medium is supplied to the evapo-= ratonelement- 23 under controlof a suitable? re frigerant,.expansiomcontrol, such asa: low side? iioat the space within the casing: 22 and the wed e war-Br g teaser the system such as the moving;

parts of'tlie" compresso'r 2'0 and the motor, and

sbiiie'pfthielubricant will circulate with the refrigerant throughout thes'ystem;- howeven; a- 7 5.

er. 2 constitutethe high pressure side-f.

v Y t V for gyration. The rotor52' is freely "jo'u'rn gait! shafts? coincides withtheaxis',ofthej'stator} Thefr'a'me member or dis shaped end-plate finished surface which forms ga radi'al e'nd fad 48' of a rotary compressor and which further cludes a cylinder-"or ri'ngf 'membertb'fia rang shaped rotor 52;"a dividerf 5t! andfthe eccentric 38andian annular -plate 581 Theradialenfd feicefl an nnularplate 58f and ecy1'inder"5'u" re ri'g'idlyias'se'mbled together in such way as; to: form a closed cylindricalchamber 62' creme-1 ing space'an'din which the-rotor 52 is air "gear on the eccentric 3'8arid, it will'be observed is of less diameter thari' the pu pingicha 62 in which itis arranged"; The rotor" s'z' is ofs 11. size; relative to the cylinder :50, that tliere" siiriaii working clearance between the vertical faces of the rotorand the adiaqentverticalfaces of the radial end face 48 andannular plate 58.

Also, the diameter of the rotor 52 is such that there is a slight clearancebetween theperiphery of the rotor 52 and the adjacent cylinder wall of the pumping chamber 62 at that pointwhere the'rotor 52 divides one side of the-pumping chamber 62 from the other side thereof,'as.illustrated in Fig. 2, and this clearance is maintained as the rotor'gyrates or moves around the pumping chamber 62 in a counter-clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 2.

The divider 54 is arranged for reciprocation within a slot 55 formed in the cylinder 50 and is disposed so that an end portion thereof is inengagement with the periphery of the rotor, as illustrated in Fig. 2, so as to separate the suction gas from the discharge gas in the pumping chamber 62. The divider 54 defines flat surreplacement purposes.

exposing the working parts ofitheicompressor and rotor-assemblies for convenience of-repair or Otherwise; ista'tedi' when the subassembly. of compressor and'rmotorllrotor assemblies mounted on the end plate .45. are tele=- scoped within the vsubassemblyaof shell member 22 andistator 36, the motor rotorand compressor together with the radialend face-4810f said-end faces which slide on the flat surfaces of the slot in which the divider 54 reciprocates. The divider 54 preferably is of the same dimension, with respect to thickness, as the rotor 52, so that the divider 54 will form a moving seal between the periphery of the rotor 52 and the Walls of the pumping chamber 62. v 1

The pumping chamber is provided with an intake port as at 64 and with a discharge port 66 preferably, but not necessarily, controlled by a valve as at 61. The divider 54 is mounted for reciprocation in the slot 55 and is guided in its movement by a spring 10, one end of which being received into a recess H disposed in the end portions of the divider 54 and the other end being a flap valve or a check valve and is preferably.

anchored at one end thereof by means of screws 68 through the end plate 58.

It is notable that an important feature of the invention is the unique association of parts which provides an assembled compressor unit of relatively small axial dimension which provides the advantage of being able to mount the compressor unit on the back portions of the refrigerator cabinet if desired. In some adaptations it may be desirable to mount the compressor assembly in the conventional lower portions of the refrigerator cabinet. In this connection a minimum amount of space will be required and any savings in space may be transferred to enlargement of the food storage chambers.

Another important feature of the invention is the cooperative association of the parts whereby the compressor and rotor assemblies may be advantageously mounted onthe end plate 45 and the parts thereof being readily accessible for adjustment and placement in position, will thus facilitate ease of assembly under mass production manufacturing principles. Moreover, the subassembly of the shell member 22' comprising the stator 36 and the necessary wiring and contacts therefor, facilitate ease in completing the final assembly. This arrangement has its importance in servicing and repair of the device in that the shell member 22' may be conveniently removed from the end plate 45 thus plate 45 are confined withintha-vohme de in d by radial. planesthrough the outer, agrial-glimits of the motor windings 26 ;to provide, a complete se b y o inimumaxialdim n i n an whi easily assemble for repair purposes.

. Fm i aima ne-d c osur it m vt e rve that. We a r 1 prq an zim mved mo e and compressor assembly forrefrigerator Systems which eifectivelyi fulfills the ,objects thereof; as hereinbefore set forth'and which; provides nu-. merous advantages which may be summarized as follows: s

l. structurally simple, efficient and durable;

2. Economical to manufacture and readily adaptable to mass production manufacturing principles; and

3. The provision of a motor compressor unit providing an improved arrangement of elements forming a sealed housing motor compressor assembly'having the minimum overall axial dimen- 'sion while maintaining a high efiiciency of operation and effecting a reduction in the cost of manufacture over that of similar units of present manufacture.

While we have illustrated a preferred embodiment of our invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention, and we do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but wish to avail ourselves of all changes within the scope of the appended claim.

' We claim:

A motor compressor assembly adapted for mounting on the back surface of a refrigerator and including a first subassembly and a second subassembly, said first subassembly being telescoped within said second subassembly; said first I subassembly comprising; a disc shaped end plate having a central aperture and a radial end face,

' a shaft having one end portion thereof fixedly received in said aperture, a relatively short sleeve member journaled on the free end portion of said shaft, a motor rotor fixed on said sleeve member, said motor rotor and said sleeve being supported solely by the free end portion of said shaft whereby said shaft forms a cantilever support for said motor rotor and sleeve; and a compressor including an eccentric member encircling and keyed to said sleeve adjacent said radial end face, a ring member radially aligned with accentric member and secured to saidradial end face of said end plate, a ring shaped rotor of less diameter than said ring member and encircling said eccentric member, a second annular plate sepa rated from said annular end face by said ring 

